March 20, 1998 All Things Considered (entire program) Requires the RealAudio Player

An index of the day's stories:

Cuba Sanctions Eased -- The Clinton Administration formally announced today that the United States will loosen some sanctions against Cuba. Americans will now be able to send cash directly to Cuba, and direct flights between the two countries will resume. Restrictions on shipments of humanitarian aid to the Communist-controlled island will also be relaxed. Hear a portion of Secretary of State Madeleine Albright’s comments at Thursday’s announcement. (1:00)

Cuban-American Reaction -- NPR's Cheryl Devall talks with Cuban-Americans about the Clinton administration's announcement today on U.S. relations with the communist nation of Cuba. (4:00)

Baseball Players Reportedly Found -- Four Cuban baseball players and a coach who fled their country in a flimsy boat more than a week ago were reportedly found today - in the Dominican Republic. They reportedly landed yesterday, on the remote northern coast. From Miami, Scott Anger reports. (2:30)

San Francisco Gas Prices -- NPR's Elaine Korry reports that San Franciscans are still wondering when cheap gas will arrive in the Bay Area. Prices in San Francisco average $1.29 a gallon, about .30 higher than in Los Angeles. Consumer groups say the oil companies are keeping prices artificially high. They are calling for an investigation into price-fixing.

Baseball -- All Things Considered host Noah Adams talks with Stefan Fatsis, who writes about sports for the Wall Street Journal. They discuss the upcoming year in major League Baseball. (4:30)

Valparaiso Fan -- Commentator Dot Neuchterlein is a scorekeeper for the Valparaiso Crusaders basketball team. Valparaiso has, for the first time, made its way into the Sweet Sixteen round of the NCAA national basketball championships. She talks about the effect all the sudden publicity has had on the small Indiana town of Valparaiso -- and the town's enthusiasm for the team. Tonight the Crusaders play Rhode Island in St. Louis. (3:00)

Death Row Organ Donors -- Mary Jo Draper of member station KCUR in Kansas City reports that Missouri lawmakers are considering a bill that would let death row inmates avoid execution if they donate a kidney or bone marrow. Proponents say it would help save the lives of people awaiting transplants. Critics say it would let criminals on death row off the hook. (4:30)

Families and Organ Donation -- All Things Considered host Robert Siegel talks with Barry A. Hong, the principal investigator for the study "The Stability of Family Decisions to Consent or Refuse Organ Donation: Would You Do It Again?" The study appears in today's issue of Psychosomatic Medicine. (4:15)

Mitsubishi Raises Stink in New Jersey -- NPR's Melissa Block reports on New Jersey's spirited response to a TV ad for Mitsubishi that advised consumers to buy a Mitsubishi Eclipse to "outrun" the bad odor on the New Jersey Turnpike. (3:15)

Hanging Out at the Oscars -- NPR's Mandalit delBarco cruised by the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles -- site of Monday night's Oscar show. Though the stars won't arrive for three more days, some diehard fans are already there, soaking up the atmosphere. (2:15)

The Full Monty -- Noah speaks with Peter Cattaneo, director of the film "The Full Monty." The film has received Academy Award nominations for best director, best picture, best screenplay, and best original musical or comedy score. (5:15)

Clinton Lawyers Respond -- Noah talks with NPR's Mara Liasson about a response filed today in Little Rock, Arkansas to a motion by Paula Jones's attorneys to continue her sexual harrassment case against President Clinton. (4:30)

Georgia Tornado -- A tornado killed at least fourteen people and injured dozens in Hall County Georgia, northeast of Atlanta this morning. Homes and schools were smashed, and the area in under a state of emergency. Susanna Capeluto of Peach State Public Radio reports. (3:30)

Spring Weather -- It's the first day of spring. It's been a wet winter. It's going to be a wet spring. NPR's John Nielsen talks with weather service meteorologists about what kind of spring we can look forward to, and why. We'll also find out what El Ni&nitlde;o has to do with it all. (2:00)

Spring Poetry -- Poet Wang Ping reads her poem "These Images" in honor of the first day of spring. This poem is from a forthcoming book called Of Flesh and Spirit. (Of Flesh and Spirit will be published by Coffee House Press, and is due to be released next month.) (2:00)

African Americans and AIDS -- Harvard University's DuBois Institute for Afro-American Research has held its second conference on AIDS in the black community. The intent is to get black leaders to put AIDS at the top of their agenda and to deal with demographic shifts in the disease -- from the white gay community to minority communities, which now represent more than half of all cases.

Clinton to Visit Africa -- President Clinton heads to Africa this Sunday for a 12 day tour of the continent. He is the first U.S. president to visit Ghana, Uganda, Rwanda, South Africa, Botswana and Senegal. Brian Atwood of the Agency for International Development says this is a trip that can only be defined as historic. (1:00)

The Pope's Bodyguard in Nigeria -- Robert talks with Bronwen Mamby, a researcher on Nigeria for Human Rights Watch-Africa. They discuss the man responsible for providing security for Pope John Paul II while the Pope is in Nigeria. Major Hamza al-Mustapha is in charge of the Special Bodyguard, which is known for its political death squads and for the use of torture. (4:45)

Indonesia Student Protests -- NPR's Julie McCarthy reports that students in Indonesia have a tradition of protest against corrupt or unfair government. But the repressive Suharto government has spent more than 30 years instilling fear in the general public. Today's Indonesian students say they want to speak out against their country's economic and political problems, but their voices are muted by the knowledge of what will happen if they go too far.

Va Yomer, Va Yelech -- Robert speaks with Rina Yerulshami, director of the Cameri Theater of Tel Aviv Itim Ensemble. The Ensemble is performing "Va Yomer. Va Yelech" (And He Said. And He Walked) as part of the Kennedy Center's festival celebrating 50 years of Israeli statehood. The text of the play comes entirely from the Old Testament - it is performed in Hebrew with simultaneous English translation. (8:00)